From Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, artist Will Pham sent the letter and his piece “Dance in Mercy” to Governor Michael Dukakis, co-chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative, Board of Leaders of AIWS City:
“With the dream of building a new world that is more intelligent, more efficient, more authentic, and more compassionate; a place where humankind is more affectionate to each other, a fulfilled world of wisdom, creativity, and compassion, I have dedicated many enthusiasm and knowledge, intertwined with an intense love for peace to delineate the work “The Dance in Mercy – Vu Khuc Nhan Ai” as a small gift to Humanity in general, and The United Nations Centennial Initiative in particular.
This piece was inspired by the Ballet No. 20 “Lebedinoye Ozero – Swan Lake” by Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky circa 1875-1876. This play is based on a Russian fairy tale as well as an old German tradition, about Odette, a princess who is cursed to be transformed into a swan, and when she finds her love, Siegfried; their true love, broke the curse, making not only the other swans transformed into humans but also Siegfried and Odette, under the vision of these beautiful swans, were flying together to heaven, vowing to be together forever after.
“The Dance in Mercy” will be a painting filled with positive energy wherever it is displayed. When other people observe this painting, I aspire to not only perceive this energy, but their sense of vision will be overwhelmed by the rich colors from the piece, and so on, the message of peace that I want to deliver will appear. I feel immensely honored and appreciative to be a part of the 100th anniversary of The United Nations. From the bottom of my heart, I wish that through this memorable opportunity, my team and I will have a durable relationship with The United Nations; and together we will take a step closer to our peaceful world, spreading positive messages via art to all human beings. Additionally, in my humble opinion, my brainchildren, which are my works of art, will be approached more widely by the public, expanding indefatigable positive energy, the truthful meaning of life, and most importantly, supporting human peace.
“Let’s reach for the sky, even if we cannot pick the brightest star, at least we can stand among the stars to light our dreams.”
I dedicate this work to The United Nations Centennial Initiative.”